Folding box forming machine



Oct. 2, 1951 R. w. METTLER 2,570,144

FOLDING BOX FORMING MACHINE Filed July 15. 1949 e Sheets-Sheet. 1

Fig. 3

9- 2 INVENTOR.

ROLLIN W. METTLER n'usnrv WILHGLM'FCARLSQN Oct. 2, 1951 R. w. METTLER FOLDING BOX FORMING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 13. 1949 INVENTOR.

ROI-Ll N w. M ET'I'LER I\ ll BY AUSTIN WILHELHCARLSON W's-W Oct. 2, 1951 R, w METTLER 2,570,144

' FOLDING BOX FORMING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1949 6 Shgets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. F9LLIN w METTLER Ausrm W(LHEL M& CARLSON "1 M w Arron NEYS Oct. 2, 1951 R w METTLER 2,570,144

FOLDING BOX FORMING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Rg LLIN w. MET'rLER Ausnw w l LHELMG c'ARww Oct. 2, 1951 R. w. METTLER 2,570,144

FOLDING BOX FORMING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. '15 Fig. '16 Fig. 17'

INVENTOR. ROLIEYIN w METTLER AUSTIN WILHELMICARL5ON| Lv'n ATTORNEYJ Oct. 2, 1951 v w METTLER 2,570,144

FOLDING BOX FORMING MACHINE Filed July 13, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 zzvmvroza 9 Roz auv W-METTLE)? AUSTIN WILHC-LM8CARLSON w. Arron -15 Patented Oct. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BOX FORMING MACHINE.

Rollin W. Mettler, Hamden, Conn., assignor to National Folding Box Company, Inc., New Haven, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application July 13, 1949, Serial No. 104,431

matic machines for setting up folding boxes from flat box blanks and has particular application to machines of the type into which a flat collapsed 6 Claims. (CI. 9353) Ltubular pro-glued box blank is fed which is then set up or squared by the machine into hollow box form to-emerge from .the machine either ready for filling with one end of the box completed and glued, or filled with contents, in which event both ends of the box would be closed.

Agreat many forms of mechanisms are in use or have been proposed for squaring pre-glued fiat collapsed tubular box blanks. In most of the known machines for squaring tubular box blanks the'matter of timing is an important and critical one. These machines generally include some form of conveyor mechanism for moving the box blank .from one end of the machines to the other and usually there are provided elements separate from, and independently movable of, the conveyor which engage the box blank in such a way that the motion of the movable member relatively 'to the motion of the conveyer results in squaring of the box blank. In many instances the movable member and the conveyor move at different l inear speeds and finally reach a point at which they are spaced a predetermined distance which is equal to a certain dimension of the box, for example, the distance from one side edge of the box to its diagonally opposite side edge.

It ismanifest that in machines of this type the timing of the various elements is critical and that even slight mis-timing or maladjustment results in a mis-shaped box. Such mis-timing or maladustment may be the result of natural wear of 'parts, or more frequently it may be the result of accidental jamming of blanks in the machine. If after the-clearing 'up of a jam it is discovered that the adjustment of the machine was disturbed a considerable number of blanks have passed through or into the machine, all of which are irregular in shape and must be discarded.

The present invention eliminates such waste :and disturbance by providing mechanism for squaring the'blanks which is entirely independent of the rate of travel, or the position of any par- "ticular elements on the conveyor with respect to fixed or independently operated and timed members. More particularly, the conveyor which moves .the box blanks through the machine is so, constructed that it accurately squares the blanks by means of self contained mechanism, independent of rate of advance of the conveyor and independent of the operation of the feeding mechanism which feeds blanks into the machine.

The improved mechanism squares blanks with great accuracy which is important for seal end boxes from a point ofview of appearance and is even more important 1E0]? hinge-cover boxes since the fit of the hinge cover depends to a large extent on the accuracy with which the bodyportion of the box is assembled. It is particularly important for reclosable hinge cover boxes of the type which comprise automatic means for maintaining the cover in closed position.

The various objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the detailed description which follows accompanied by drawings showing, for the purpose of illustration, the essential portion of a box machine embodying the invention. The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction andcombination of elements hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of the invention which are believed to be novel will be particularly pointedout in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of it in which;

Figure l is a fiat, 'cut and scored blank of a reclosable hinge cover box, the blank being shown in'plan view as it appears after cutting from a larger sheet of paperboard;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank of Figure 1 after initial folding and gluing operations resulting in a tubular flat collapsed blank ready for feeding into a box forming machine;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the completed hinge-coverbox made from the blank of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of that portion of a box forming machine which comprises the blank magazine and the beginning of the conveyor which carries the blank through the machine;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the machine portion shown in Figure 4 viewed at a different angle and shown at aslightly advanced phase of operation;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of certain elements of the machine portion shown in Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a further portion of the box machine for sealing the bottom end of the box;

Figure 8 is a detailed view of a portion of the to the main panel. nected to the cover front panel 2 1 along a fold and adhered to the cover front panel 21. resulting tubular blank A is shown in Figure 2.

mechanism shown in Figure 7 at a slightly advanced stage of operation;

Figures 9 to 16 are diagrammatic illustrations of successive steps in sealing the bottom end of the box;

Figure 17 is a side view of the sealed box end shown in Figure 16; and

Figure 18 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the drive and conveyor mechanism of the machine.

In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. Corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for the purpose of explanation of broader aspects of the invention, but it is understood that the details may be modi fled invarious respects without departure from the broad principles of the invention and that the invention may be applied to other structures than the ones shown. I v The blank A shown in Figure 1 comprises side wall panels I l, I 2, l3 and. I4 and a terminal glue lap l hingedly connected along side fold lines It, ll, l8 and I9. Bottom flaps 20 and 2| are hingedly connected to the side wall panels I2 and J4, respectively, along a bottom fold line 22, and

bottom panels 23 and 24 are hingedly connected to the side wall panels H and !2 along the same fold line 22. r V p The reclosable hinge cover structure comprises a main cover panel 25 hingedly connected to the side wall panel II along a cover fold line 26. A cover front panel 21 is hinged to the main cover panel along a top, fold line 28 and cover side panels 2 9 and 30 are hinged to the cover front panel along front fold lines 3| and 32 respectively. Glue flaps 33 and 34 are hinged to the cover side panels along side fold lines 35 and 36, respectively, and serve to connect the cover side panels An abutment flap 31,is conline 38 and has an abutment or looking edge 39 whose purpose will presently appear.

A lock flap 40 is hingedly connected to the side wall panel 13 along a fold line 4|. This lock flap is foldable back upon the side wall panel I3 and its terminal edge 42 is adapted to engage the locking edge 39 of the abutment flap 3! in edge-toand l8. This brings the glue lap l5 into adhesive engagement with the side wall panel II and brings the side wall panels l2 and [3 into faceto-face contact with the side wall panels H and [4, respectively. Likewise, adhesive is applied to the abutment flap 3'! and the flap is folded over The It is ready for setting up into hollow box form.

Collapsed fiat tubular blanks A may be stor d and. shipped in flat condition requiring a minimum of space. These are immediately available for setting up into hollow box form on automatic machinery.

An understanding of the construction and operation of the automatic box forming machine about to be described will be facilitated by a brief consideration of the construction of the finished box A" shown in Figure 3. The box has a squared body portion comprising the wall panels ll, l2, l3 and I4 of which two are visible in Figure 3. The bottom of the box is formed by infolding of the bottom flaps 20 and 2| and by folding thereover' the bottom panels 23 and 24, the flaps and panels being adhesively secured to one another.

The hinge cover comprises the main cover panel 25 to which the glue flaps 33 and 34 are adhesively secured, flap 34 being visible at the cut-away portion of the illustrated box. The cover front panel 21 with its abutment flap 31 overlies the lock flap 40 on the top portion of the wall panel [3, the lock flap 49 being downfolded to engage the abutment flap 3'3 with its free edge.

The hinge cover is opened by swinging it about its hinge line 26 against the resistance of the lock flap 49. The lock flap together with the upper portion of the wall panel [3 resiliently flexes during the disengagement and returns immediately into operative locking position for re-locking the hinge cover upon reclosing of the box.

Referring now to the several illustrations of the box forming machine in connection with a diagrammatic illustration of its major parts, Figure 18, the machine comprises a base 43 upon which an endless first conveyor 44 is mounted. This conveyor consists of a pair of endless chains 45 and 46 trained about gears 41, 48, 49 and 50, 5! and 52, respectively (Figure 18). The chains 45 and 46 of the first conveyor carry a plurality of box forming and blank squaring cages 53 which are shown in greater detail in Figure 6.

Each of the cages 53 comprises a bottom member 54 with which an upright end member 55 is integral: The bottom member 54 and the end member 55 form an angle of degrees between them at 55 and are secured to special links 51 of the conveyor chain 45 having upward extensions 58. In a similar manner, the bottom member 54 is connected to the other chain 46 and thus travels with the conveyor relatively to the base 43.

A tiltable end member 59 is hingedly connected to the bottom member 54 at 60 and is free to tilt relatively to the bottom member 54 if the chain permits it to do so. The end member 59 has a normally upright portion BI and a normally horizontal portion 82 extending at right angles to the portion 6 I. The horizontal portion 62 carries wear resistant abutments 63 adapted to engage links of the conveyor chains 44 and 45. Only the abutments 63 cooperating with the chain 45 are visible in Figure 6. The movable end member 59 carries a pressure plate 64 mounted on a pair of studs 65 slidable in the upright portion 6| and biased towards the end member 55 by compression springs 66. Nuts 6'! permit adjustment of the spacing between the pressure plate 34 and the end member 55. The spacing is made equal to the outside width of the box to be set up, that is the distance between the side walls l2 and I4 measured at the outside of the box. A projection 68 extends from the upright portion 6| towards the end member 55. It is spaced forming cage.

box side walls.

tween the walls II and I3 measured at the outthe position illustrated in Figure 6 one of the two box forming cages is open for insertion of a 'flat collapsed blank fed into it from a maga- 'zine 59 by a feed conveyor I0.

The feed conveyor is composed of two endless chains II and 12 trained over rollers I3, 14., I5

and 16, IT, 19, respectively, and carries feed lugs 19. Specially shaped guide rai1s80 and BI determine the path of the upper flight of the conveyor chains to bring the lugs 79 into proper position to engage the lowermost blank in the :magazine 59 and withdraw it towards the conveyor 44 carrying the box forming cages 53. The

points at which the lugs 19 engage the blank A .are indicated in Figure 2.

The blank A travels between vertical guide rails 82 and 83 and moves into an open box Ihe feed conveyor Ill disengages from the blank as its lugs withdraw downwardly when the feed conveyor passes over the rollers I3 and 16 (Figure 18).

The blank is then grasped by the projection 68 of the tiltable end member 59, as the end member slowly moves into upright position. The fiat box blank is thus held at one edge by the pressure plate 64 and the projection 58 and is held at its opposite edge by the bottom and end members 54, 55 at the corner 56.

exerted on the blank A causes it to open up The force 23 and 24 are first engaged by a stationary spreader 84 which spreads the end panels apart and out of the way of the end flaps 25 and 2|.

While the end panels 23 and 24 are still engaged by the spreader the leading end flap strikes a stationary sweep 85 (Figure '7) which folds the end flap into a position at right angles with respect to the box side walls. Substantially simultaneously the trailing bottom flap 2| is engaged by an arm 86 of a kicker 81 pivotally mounted at 88 on the base 43. The kicker 81 comprises a cam 89 which is struck by a cam 90 on the cage 53. The kicker moves in a clockwise sense when actuated by apassing cage and folds the bottom flap 2I into a position substantially at right angles with respect to the The infolded trailing bottom flap 2| then comes within the reach of the stationary sweep 85 and is maintained in infolded position while the kicker returns to its rest position in the kicker arm 85 is out of the way of the bottom panel 23 of the succeeding box blank which thus passes over it freely.

During the folding of the inner endfiaps into b'ox closing position the lock flap of the box In its rest position?" moves within the reach of the folding rail 9| which folds the lock flap about its hinge line H through an angle of .180 degrees into a position to overlie the box wall panel [3 (Figure 7) 'While the inner end flaps 29 and '2I are still engaged by the sweep 85, the inner bottom panel 23 moves past a pair of glue wheels 92 and 93 (Figure 13) which apply adhesive to both sides of the bottom panel 23. The bottom panel 23 then moves within the reach of a stationary plow 94 (Figure 14) which folds the bottom panel into upright position against the infolded bottom flaps 20 and 2 I. Immediately thereafter a rotary sweep or arm 95 driven by a sprocket wheel 96 engages the outer end panel 24 and folds it into bottom closing position as shown in Figures 1 and 16. s

' The folded bottom structure is then engaged by a pressure belt 91 which travels at the same rate as the conveyor 44 and maintains a gentle pressure on the outer bottom panel 24 for a tim sufficient to permit the adhesive to set.

The sealed bottom maintains the box square when it is discharged at the end of the conveyor 44. As the conveyor chains 45 and 46 travel over the chain gears 41 and 59, the cages 53 open in a similar manner as illustrated in Figure 6 and the glued boxes drop out.

Means may be provided for forming and gluing the top portion of the box. Such folding and gluing mechanism may include a further conveyor 98 for the cover assembly extending parallel to the conveyor 44 and traveling at the same rate. Since, however, the present invention disclosed in this application is not concerned with details of the mechanism for forming and gluing the box cover, a description of the details may be dispensed with.

The drive mechanism of the machine is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 18.

A suitable prime mover, shown as a motor 98, drives a reduction gear 99. The main drive shaft I09 of the machine carries a chain gear I 01 driven from the pulley I82 of the reduction gear through a drive chain I113.

The drive shaft 599 carries the chain gears 41 and of the conveyor 44 and also a bevel gear I04 meshing with a further bevel gear I05 on a shaft I96. The shaft I95 carries a belt pulley IU'I around which the pressure belt 91 is trained. There are further belt pullies I08 and I09 stationary with respect to the machine base and a movable belt pulley III! mounted on a frame III pivoted at H2. The frame III is under the action of a spring H3 tending to keep the belt 91 under tension. 5

The chain gears 48 and 5I around which the conveyor chains 45 and 46 are trained are fixed on a shaft I I4. Shaft I I4 carries a further chain gear II'5 driving a gear IIB through a drive chain Ill. The gear III is fixed on a feeder drive shaft IIB carrying the gears 15 and 1 of the feed conveyor.

The chain gears 49 and 52 of the conveyor chains 45 and 45 are fixed on a shaft H9. The gears I3 and I5 of the feed conveyor are loosely mounted on the shafts l W to rotate freel thereon. A pulley I25 is fixedly mounted on the shaft H9 and drives a chain gear I2I through a chain I22. The gear I2I is fixed on a shaft I23 driv- "ing a further shaft I24 through gears I25 and 12s and a drive chain m. The shaft 124 carries a pair of chain gears I23 and I29. Thegear E28 drives a chain I3Il trained over a further gear I3I and a tension pulley I32. The chain I30 engages the sprocket'wheel 96 of the rotary sweep -'95"and drives it. The rotary swep thus moves at a predetermined rate with respect to the rate of advance to the conveyor 44.

'The gear I29 drives a chain I33 trained around a further gear I34 and a tension pulley I35. A spur gear I36 turns with the chain gea I34 and meshes with a second spur gear I31 driving the glue wheel 93.

Theinvention thus provides a relatively simple machine for squaring collapsed flat box blanks. .-.The squaring operation as well as the folding and gluing operations are al1 controlled by the advance of the conveyor which moves the blanks through the machine.

Thus a relatively simple machine results which can be operated at reduced or increased speeds without afiecting the accuracy of the boxes formed thereon.

What is claimed is:

. l. A device for forming a hollow box structure from a tubular, fiat collapsed box blank, the device comprising a body having a base portion and a rigid end portion upright with respect to the base portion and forming substantially a right angle therewith; a member hingedly mounted on the body and movable into a position upright with respect to the base portion from a declined position with respect thereto, said hinged member having a projection extending towards said end portion when the member is in upright position, the projection being adapted to grasp an edge of a flat box blank to urge said blank into said angle with its opposite edge, thereby expanding it into hollow form; a spring-urged pressure .plate mounted on said movable member in a position parallel with the end portion when the member is in upright'position, to constrain between the plate and said end portion opposite walls of said hollow box form; and an endless conveyor chain mounted to run along a straight path between curved path portions, said body being secured to said chain with said end portion leading and said hinged member trailing, the

hinged member bearing against a portion of the chain spaced and trailing with respect to the right with respect to the base portion from a declined position with respect thereto, said hinged member having a projection extending towards said end portion when the member is in upright position, the projection being adapted to grasp an edge of a fiat box blank to urge said blank into said angle with its opposite edge, thereby .expanding it into hollow form; and an endless conveyor chain mounted to run along a straight path between curved path portions, said body being secured to said chain with said end portion leading and the hinged member trailing, the hinged member bearing against a portion of the chain spaced and trailing with respect to the point at which the body is secured, thereby causing the hinged member to tilt relatively to said body at said curved path portions.

.3. A device for forming a hollow box structure from a tubular fiat collapsed boxblank, the device comprising a body having a base portion and a rigid end portion upright with respect to the base portion and forming substantially a right angle therewith; a member hingedly mounted on said body and movable into a position upright with respect to the base portion from a declined position with respect thereto, said hinged member having a projection extending towards said end portion when the member is in upright position, the projection being adapted to grasp an edge of a flat box blank to urge said blank into said angle with'its opposite edge, thereby expanding it into hollow form; an endless conveyor I chain mounted to run along a straight path between curved path portions, said body being secured to said chain with said end portion leadin and said hinged member trailing, the hinged member bearing against a portion of the chain spaced and trailing with respect to the point at which said body is secured, thereby causing the hinged member to tilt relatively to said body at said curved path portions; and blank feeding means for feeding collapsed flat blanks between said body end portion and said hinged member at a curved path portion.

4. A device for forming a hollow box structure from a tubular fiat collapsed box blank including box walls and end panels, the device comprising, a cage adapted to engage the hollow box along three box walls, said cage including a bottom member, an end member upright with respect to the bottom member and integral with the bottom member, and a movable member hinged on said bottom member and movable into a position upright with respect to the bottom member from a declined position with respect to the bottom member, said hinged member having a projection extending towards said end member when said movable membe is in upright position, the projection being adapted to grasp an edge of a fiat box blank to urge said blank into the angle between said bottom member and said end member with its opposite edge, thereby expanding the blank into hollow form; means for moving said cage along a-Btrack; means associated with the track for inclining said movable member and for declining said movable member at spaced points of the track; and means along said track intermediate said points for folding the box end panels into closing position to maintain said box in rigid expanded condition prior to the opening of the cage by movement of the movable member into declined position, said end panel folding means including a kicker for moving the trailing end panel into box closing position; and a cam member on said cage for actuating said kicker upon passage of the cage past the kicker.

5. A device for forming a hollow box structure from a tubular flat collapsed box blank including box walls and end panels, the device comprising a cage adapted to engage the hollow box along three box walls, said cage including, a bottom member, an end member upright with respect to the bottom member and integral with the bottom member, and a movable member hinged on said bottom member and movable into a position upright with respect to the bottom member from a declined position with respect to the bottom member, said hinged member having a projection extending towards said end member when said movable member is in upright position, the projection being adapted to grasp an edge of a flat box blank to urge said'blank into the angle between said bottom member and said end member with its opposite edge, thereby expanding the blank into hollow form; a base; an endless conveyor chain mounted on the base for movement along a straight path between curved path portions, said cage being secured to said chain for movement therewith with said end member leading and said hinged member trailing, said hinged member engaging said chain at a point spaced and trailing with respect to the point at which the cage is secured thereby causing the hinged member to tilt relatively to the bottom member at said curved path portions; means on said base for folding the box end panels into box closing position, said ielding means including a kicker for engaging the trailing end panel and moving it into box closing position; and a cam member on said cage for actuating said kicker upon passage of the cage past the kicker.

6. A device for forming a hollow box structure from a tubular fiat collapsed box blank including box walls and end panels, the device comprising, a cage adapted to engage the hollow box along three box Walls, said cage including, bottom member, an end member upright with respect to the bottom member and integral with the bottom member, and a movable member hinged on saidbottommemberandmovableintoapositionupright with respect to the bottom member from a declined position with respect to the bottom member, said hinged member having a projection extending towards said end member when said movable member is in upright position, the projection being adapted to grasp an edge of a flat box blank to urge said blank into the angle between said bottom member and said end member with its opposite edge, thereby expanding the blank into hollow form; a base; an endless con- 10 veyor chain mounted on the base for movement along a straight path between curved path portions, said cage being secured to said chain for movement therewith with said end member leading and said hinged member trailing, said hinged member engaging said chain at a point spaced from, and trailing with respect to, the point at which the cage is secured thereby causing the hinged member to tilt relatively to the bottom member at said curved path portions; blank feeding means for feeding collapsed fiat blanks between said end member and said movable member at a curved path portion; means on said base for folding the box end panels into box closing position, said folding means including a kicker for engaging the trailing end panel and moving it into box closing position; a cam member on said cage for actuating said kicker upon passage of the cage past the kicker, and a spring loaded pressure plate mounted on said movable member in a position parallel with the end member when the movable member is in upright position to constrain opposite walls of the box under spring pressure between said plate and said end member.

ROLLIN W. METTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V r

( UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb 81 

